The present invention relates to a board positioning method and apparatus for use in performing printing on a board, mounting of electronic components, a variety of operations such as inspection and adjustment, measurement for adjustment, and the like for manufacturing an electronic circuit board.
Conventionally, in a process of performing mounting, inspection, and adjustment for manufacturing a board as a product, there has been used an apparatus as shown in FIG. 18 or FIG. 19.
In the apparatus shown in FIG. 18, a board 501 is transferred along transfer rails 502, made to stop in a specified position by means of a stopper (not shown), and subjected to the aforementioned various operations in the position. Meanwhile, guide rails 503 are provided with a reference side positioning pin 505 and a movable side positioning pin 506 which are engaged with the guide rails 503 by means of a guide block 504 and a screw 514 for screwing the guide block 504. With the reference side positioning pin 505 secured in a reference position, the movable side positioning pin 506 is moved to a position corresponding to the type of the board 501 and then secured. The reference side positioning pin 505 and the movable side positioning pin 506 are moved up by vertical movement cylinders 507 and 508 and then inserted into position regulating holes 509 and 510 of the board 501 retained, thereby positioning the board for the aforementioned various operations. In order to support the positioned board 501 after the positioning is completed, a support unit 512 having a support pin 511 is moved up by a vertical movement cylinder 513 to support the board 501 in a position and condition corresponding to the type of the board by means of the support pin 511 conforming to the type of the board. The support pin 511 is replaced every time the type of the board 501 changes, thereby satisfying the corresponding support position and condition.
The apparatus shown in FIG. 19 is designed to measure a board 501 to be positioned in the same manner as described above, and includes a measurement device 515. The measurement device 515 is provided with a contact probe pin 516 corresponding to the type of the board 501 and the type of measurement provided in a position corresponding to the type of the board 501 and the type of measurement. The measurement device 515 is moved up by a vertical movement cylinder 517 to put the contact probe pin 516 in contact with the board 501 in a required condition in a position corresponding to the type of a rear surface of the board 501 and the type of measurement, thereby allowing the required measurement processes to be performed. The measurement device 515 is removed and replaced every time the type of the board 501 is changed.
However, in each of the apparatuses shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, the positioning pin for positioning the board 501 in the specified position is required to be adjusted in position every time the type of the board 501 is changed, which is a troublesome work which takes a long time to complete. During the long time, the works to be effected on the board 501 are interrupted. Therefore, when the type of the board 501 to be processed is changed in a daily normal working time, such a change exerts a significant influence on the productivity in the normal working time. When such a change is performed several times, productivity is reduced significantly.
Furthermore, when the support pin 516 and the measurement device 515 which are required to be replaced or remounted according to the type of the board 501 are incorporated, a further procedure and more time are required resulting in further reducing the productivity in proportion to the incorporation of them.